#30/2026 - Wednesday 29 July 2026
This week's newsletter includes:
- Safeguarding focus – Department for Education and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children early years safeguarding training; Emerging safeguarding consideration: tracking and recording devices
- Amber heat health-alert
- Safer sleep product guidance
- Early Years Training
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Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
Fewer newsletters during the summer holidays
As we move into the summer period, you may notice that the Early Years and Childcare newsletter is not published every week.
Activity across the sector is often quieter during the school summer holidays, so rather than sending a newsletter each week, we will continue to share important information and urgent updates as needed.
This means there may be some weeks when no newsletter is issued. Our regular weekly newsletter schedule will resume when there is a greater volume of sector news and updates to share.
Department for Education (DfE) and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) early years safeguarding training
The DfE has launched an online early years safeguarding training package, developed in collaboration with the NSPCC. This training covers sections 1 and 2 of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework’s safeguarding training annex, which all early years educators must be trained in, every 2 years. All early years educators including childminders and reception staff, can access this training for free.
The training can be found on the EYFS statutory framework web page or accessed directly through the Virtual College Limited learning portal. If you are not already registered, you can create an account here.
The DfE has published new safeguarding guidance on the Help for early years providers website. This can be used by practitioners, managers and childminders, to help them meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Creating a strong safeguarding culture is essential and includes ensuring staff receive regular training, respond promptly to concerns, and work closely with families to keep children safe and support their wellbeing. Providers should have clear safeguarding procedures in place and remain alert to any signs that a child may need additional support.
Emerging safeguarding consideration: tracking and recording devices
As technology continues to evolve, early years providers are increasingly encountering devices such as AirTags, SmartTags, smartwatches and smart glasses within their settings. While these technologies are often used by families for legitimate purposes, like providing reassurance about a child's safety, some devices are capable of location tracking, audio recording, video recording and live communication. These functions can present important safeguarding, privacy and confidentiality considerations for providers.
To support settings in responding to these developments, guidance has been developed to help review safeguarding culture, policies and procedures, raising staff awareness, and strengthen partnerships with families. The aim is to ensure that the rights, dignity and wellbeing of all children, staff and parents are protected.
This guidance should be read alongside the relevant safeguarding policies, the EYFS Statutory Framework and applicable data protection legislation.
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An amber heat-health alert is in effect across the South East from 9.00am on Wednesday 29 July until 9.00am on Thursday 30 July 2026. Settings should continue to follow the practical advice in our previous while taking extra care of children and adults who may be more vulnerable to the heat.
Choosing and using baby products safely is an important part of creating a safer sleep environment. The Lullaby Trust’s practical safer sleep product guide can help early education and childcare settings make informed choices about products used for babies. Its wider baby product information also includes guidance on sleep products, mattresses and bedding, car seats, slings, swaddling and baby monitors.
The Trust also offers SIDS and safer sleep training for early years professionals. The course is designed for early years practitioners who place babies to sleep. The course supports safe and consistent practice.
Providers should review the relevant Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework, which comes into effect from 1 September 2026, to understand the full statutory requirements. Existing safer sleep requirements must continue to be met, and settings should not wait until September to review their practice.
For further support, please refer to the Department for Education's safer sleep guidance and the Foundation Years safer sleep in early years settings Q&A.
Following the high level of interest and positive feedback last year, Safeguarding and child protection in early years – recording, reporting and referring: concise and clear course is returning to our training programme for a second year.
Suitable for all staff working in early years settings, the course introduces key safeguarding skills in recording and reporting concerns. Participants will explore how daily records contribute to safeguarding chronologies, what makes a good referral, and how to produce clear, concise and accurate records using professional language.
Leaders and managers may also be interested in our Leadership and management: understanding positive, proactive and effective leadership course. This session explores the key attributes and skills of effective leadership, helping participants to reflect on different leadership approaches and consider what their setting needs to support ongoing development and improvement.
To book, click the course below. You can also visit our booking portal West Sussex Services for Education and select your required course.
If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- w/c 24 August - autumn term estimate payments due to settings
- 31 August - deadline for parents to reconfirm/apply for their Working Family Eligibility codes to use for the autumn term
- 31 August - summer term sufficiency deadline
- 31 August - summer term termly childcare provider update deadline
- 1 September - portal opens for settings to submit actuals for autumn term
- 17 September - autumn term headcount day
- w/c 21 September - autumn term monthly estimate payments due to settings
- 22 September - portal closes for settings to submit actuals for autumn term
- 1 October - Department for Education census day for autumn term
- w/c 19 October - autumn 26 actuals due to settings who are paid twice termly
- w/c 26 October - monthly estimate payment due
- w/c 23 November - actuals payment due for settings who are paid monthly
We share a weekly Jobs in Early Years and Childcare bulletin with members of the public. You can find guidance and a template for submitting your job adverts to this bulletin on our advertise early years and childcare jobs web page. You will also find useful guidance on advertising your job vacancies on other platforms.
We have a range of online training available for you to access for your staff to ensure they have the most up to date information to support them in their role:
It is important you follow the correct steps and notify the relevant teams and professionals if your setting needs to close.
Contact your local setting support team and visit our closing your early years and childcare setting web page for step by step support.
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#29/2026 (Remittance advice update; New Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship; Why vaccination matters; Signpost families to the Best Start in Life website; Early Years Training)
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#28/2026 (Good Level of Development Focus - mathematical development; Changes to the early years foundation stage statutory framework; Service update: West Sussex County Council phone line issues; Early years funding consultation 2026; Have your say on early years teaching reforms; Regulated activity: removal of the supervision exemption from 1 September 2026; Priority Services Register – support for families and staff; Business support tools for providers; Watch the webinar: bringing a reading-rich culture to life; Good news to share from the 2026 Annual Literacy Survey; SEND and Inclusion newsletter; Early Years Training)
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#27/2026 (Update to weather heat alert for early education and childcare; Connect with the Family Information Service and your local Best Start Family Hub on Instagram; Changes to the way you request funding after headcount; Have your say on the Competition and Markets Authority Childcare Services review; Watch the webinar: how new government funded training can help you support SEND in your setting; Free online early years child development training; National Programme Qualifications update; Childminding UK - have you read their blog?; Kent and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub; Early Years Training)
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#26/2026 (Service update: council-wide IT and phone line issues; Congratulations to Church Lane Nursery; Early Years Funded Entitlement - autumn term 2026 estimates now open; Free supervised toothbrushing scheme; Support families to keep children protected – childhood vaccinations; Early Years Training)
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#25/2026 (Safeguarding Focus; Childhood immunisations reminder; Starting school with West Sussex libraries; Tax-Free Childcare; Supporting Traveller Families to Access Early Education; Apprenticeships funding update - changes for August 2026; Early Years Training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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